Friday, December 31, 2010

Wrapping Up 2010


I cannot believe this year has come and gone. Clay and I have been married two years. Both of my sisters have also been married within two years. I have been a nurse for a year. We bought a townhome. We both switched jobs. We both started grad-school.... What were we thinking?!?!?! Clay and I are both pretty busy, high energy individuals. Sometimes we take on too much at one time; however, we have been able to accomplish so much in our first two years of marriage because of our desire to set goals and persevere. God has taught us so much and we owe all we have to HIM. *SIGH* What a year.

Anyways, my last workout of 2010 started this morning at 7:00am with my dear friend, Wendy. I have known Wendy for 10+ years and I cherish our friendship so much. She did an intense cardio circuit on the treadmill, while I walked at an incline (it BURNS!!!). We then completed an ab workout of crunches, bicycles, and side planks (MORE BURNING!!!).

After the workout, I walked home, made breakfast, and woke Clay up. He had a fishing appointment and I had a running date with my new, dear friend Courtney. I am really enjoying getting to know her! We met a few months ago in the gym at our townhome complex. We are training for a half marathon in March and today was our first long run in a while. We were both pretty tired this morning, so our 7 mile run seemed longer than usual.

I am pretty tight today from yesterday's PLYOMETRIC PANDEMONIUM workout from Jill Coleman (@JillFit on Twitter). My legs are pretty strong, but I am trying to get leaner. Plyometric exercises for legs are very beneficial (for strength and cardiovascular endurance) and my body responds quite well.... after my heart rate gets back to normal!

After the run, I had to run to the grocery store to buy food for tonight's NYE party. I made a recipe from my favorite blog, PBFingers, and cannot wait for C
lay to try it. I just combined goat cheese and honey to make a dip (for pretzels, pita chips, graham crackers...) and I followed Julie's recommendation to use vanilla wafers (yes, these are a simple carb snack and not usually something I purchase, but it is NYE and I wanted to make something for Clay.... to distract him from all the vegetables and healthy foods I bought ;)

I actually did not use as much cheese as PBFingers suggested, but I want to see how Clay likes it first. Right now, it is sweet and creamy. I think I would like it more if it was thicker. The recipe calls for 10 oz. I used a 5 oz. package.... again, trying to make sure Clay likes it.

After I set the dip in the refrigerator, I made myself a spinach salad with goat cheese (see the trend???), red wine vinaigrette, and left over flank steak slices..... YUMMY!

I now have a date with a cup of coffee and a book =) I am enjoying my lazy day. Have a safe, fun evening tonight!!!!



Thursday, December 30, 2010

Date night, condensed


Clay and I try to have a date night once a week. We have been really busy with my sister's wedding, family visiting, and Christmas, so we have not been as consistent. We went shopping, grabbed dinner, and rented a movie. I wore my new pumps and regretted it once that last minute decision was made to go shopping at the mall. We were looking for a new jacket for Clay. First at Macy's, then at Dillards.... OPPOSITE ENDS OF THE MALL! I am a "running shoes" girl.... I was not prepared to walk 1.5miles.

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Not quite a pump, not quite a boot..... But super cute and great with my trouser pants.

We got a few gift cards for Christmas so we went to Longhorn. I have not been there in YEARS. They have a grilled rainbow trout that has lemon and olive oil on it. It actually tasted pretty fresh and it was seasoned well.... Not loaded with buttah!!!!


We had ever intention of going "out on the town," (and by that I mean, actually going to a movie that is not an early matinée showing. This did not happen. We ended up visiting our friend Blue Box in our local Publix. I love renting movies. I can stay in my PJ's, under my covers, and I can ask Clay all the questions I want, without disturbing ANYONE =) Well, sometimes he has to hit "pause" so that he can actually pay attention to my question, but he listens, nevertheless. Date night this week was relaxing. Work was very busy this week, so I enjoyed being out of the house with Clay.

This morning, I am training two friends of mine at the gym. We are going to do a cardio circuit, followed by a core circuit. I have a long run today at 9:00am, so I plan on hitting the stationary bike or working upper body. Today's long run is 7-8miles. My friend Courtney and I are going to see how we feel. Both of us had a race in November and have slacked off, or "taken a break," in December.... TIME TO KICK IT INTO GEAR!!! I have a half marathon in March, in which, I am hoping to qualify for NYC Marathon in November. I need to go map out my run for today, so I must go.... But I leave you with this.... To help myself get out of bed in the morning to run, I sleep in my running shorts =) Getting ready is half way finished.... Not the most attractive PJ's, but lingerie is over rated sometimes!!!!
(I purposefully cut off my toes... this "frigged winter" that is hitting Florida right now KILLS my motivation to keep cute feet).

QUESTION: What are you guys doing for New Year's Eve tonight????

*Desk Goodies*

Do you ever feel rushed before a meeting, but you know you are absolutely going to pass out if you do not get a bite to eat??? I do!!! I keep a fork, oats, and peanut butter on hand at all times. Sometimes, I make it more complicated and heat it all up with protein powder, but most of the time it is simple.

Fork into PB.... Scoop into oats.... Instant energy =)

Just thought I would drop in =)

Saturday, December 4, 2010

Pumpkin Protein Bread


I have recently discovered oat flour. If you are unfamiliar with the difference between complex and refined carbohydrates, I will briefly explain. Complex carbohydrates take longer for your body to digest. They do not cause your blood sugar to spike as quickly as refined. That is the difference between wheat bread and white; sweet potatoes and regular potatoes. Oat flour has the same consistency of flour, but it is ground oats. Oats are complex and have soluble fiber; there are studies that show this magic grain helps decrease cholesterol. I LOVE OATS. Ok, I digress....

I made pumpkin protein bread today with oat flour. I modified Jamie Eason's recipe, and used pumpkin... honestly, this was because I forgot apple
sauce, but nonetheless, I LOVE PUMPKIN and have some left over from Thanksgiving. The calories in mine might be a little different than hers because of the pumpkin and walnuts, but not by much. This is still a very clean breakfast option. I feel like I am cheating, but I am not. After all, muffins are just an excuse to have cake for breakfast.....


Preheat oven to 350. Spray loaf pan with non-stick spray.

In small bowl combine: (set aside)
1/3 cup Ideal (Truvia) or Splenda
2 tsp cinnamon

In a large bowl combine: (whisk together)
1 1/2 cups oat flour + 2 scoops vanilla whey protein
1 tbsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup Ideal (Truvia) or Splenda

In a medium bowl combine: (whisk together & add to large bowl)
2 egg whites or 1 whole egg
1 cup unsweetened almond milk (Almond Breeze)
1/3 cup of canned pumpkin
1/4 cup of chopped walnuts


Sunday, September 12, 2010

High Fructose Corn Syrup

Hello Readers. I have had a whirlwind of change the past few weeks and have missed blogging. However, I have been keeping notes and doing research on "blog worthy" topics so BRACE YOURSELVES. Today, I want to address High Fructose Corn Syrup.

Recently, I saw a very disturbing commercial. A woman was pouring "fruit punch" for kids at a party. One mom stated, "Oh, I guess you do not care what you feed the kids...you are feeding them High Fructose Corn Syrup... you know what they say..." Mom #2 replies, "No, what do they say?" Dumbfounded, and unable to answer, the "fruit punch" mom won the argument. Well, I do not want any of us to be left speechless like this good intentioned mom.

According to a study by Princeton University, HFCS leads to more weight gain than normal table sugar when ingested on a regular basis (THINK SODAS!). Rats were fed rat chow infused with sugar, and a second group was fed chow infused with HFCS. The HFCS group gained more weight. In a similar study, not only did the HFCS rat group gain more weight, but the rats' triglyceride levels were increased as well. Proportionately, some rats gained the equivalent of a man gaining 96 pounds during the study!!! Continual fructose intake, just like continual alcohol intake, will eventually lead to fatty liver syndrome and cirrhosis.... just like an alcoholic.

So my question is this: Why are commercials being made that say HFCS is ok? The food industry must be getting nervous as our population is getting more educated on clean eating. I think we should have the freedom to buy and eat whatever we want; however, we should be informed consumers and eat these poisons in moderation..... well, when I say it like that, I think I would rather stay away from it completely.

*B*

Saturday, August 14, 2010

Change

There has been a lot of change in my life lately. I have missed numerous workouts, healthy meals, family events, and opportunities to post blogs (I know... priorities). Howerver, I have accumulated outstanding amounts of usefull facts and tips that will change your lives; not really, but hopefully they will help you develop a healthy lifestyle and aid in your ability to make good choices.

My first wors of advice would be to not decide/commit to do P90X before you change jobs (my husband and myself), move living quarters, and renovate the new living quarters.

Second, gray, tight pants look awful on anyone. Please do not wear them to work with a tight shirt... I almost posted a picture of this lady at the gas station; however, maybe she just moved and all of her clothes are still packed like me. I should not judge.

Third, insulin resistance (this develops when you continually ingest too much sugar) increases your risk for heart disease as much as smoking does. Choose your foods wisely.

Fourth, give your loved ones the benefit of the doubt and try to not be easily offended. Stress and unnecessary anxiety actually increases the release of cortisol in your body. Drink water, laugh, and love.

Fifth. Do not judge me for any type-oes or misspellings. I most definitely typed this on my phone. I have no internet in my new place. I will get back on soon. Eat clean and make time to exercise with a loved one this week. My motto is that life is too short to work out alone... not really, but it helps multi tasking relationships and fitness :)

*B*

Thursday, July 29, 2010

Nutrition is Key

Friendly's, a diner-like restaurant that I used to go to as a child, has created this new "meal." Here are the nutrition facts: 1500 Calories, 870 Fat Calories, 79g Total Fat, 38g Saturated Fat, 180g Cholesterol, 2090mg Sodium, 101g Carbs (www.consumerist.com). Frankly, I do not believe this should be legal. This goes beyond the popular argument that "healthy food is more expensive." Even though I disagree, I understand that people who do not know how to shop for healthy things may think it is more expensive. However, this is gluttony at its PRIME! No one needs this many calories at one meal. No ones NEEDS this much cheese or sodium in one day. When the human body has too much sodium (you only need 1500 mg per day), the body holds onto water. When the body retains too much water, hypervolemia, the heart has to work harder to pump the extra volume. HELLO HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE. Unfortunately, we get so "salt shaker happy" and bring this "silent killer" onto ourselves. You see, there are no signs of high blood pressure (unless you spike quickly); it is a gradual process that injures your kidneys and weakens your heart while you shove burgers in your face. Drink fluids, eat fruits and vegetables, do not eat packaged/frozen dinners, and do not add salt to anything you eat. Focus on getting the most nutrients per bite; food is fuel, not comfort/friends/love/deserved..... it is just food.

Today I did not do P90x. I am moving and must spend my evening packing; however, tomorrow I will get back on track. Have a good evening....

*B*

Monday, July 26, 2010

Week 2



This morning, yes I woke up early and began my week with P90X. I did the chest & back video and then finished with the "Ab Ripper X" video. I still do not have a pull up bar, but I like my resistance bands. They are gracefully draped over my coat closet as one enters the house; very welcoming. My wrists did not hurt today like they did last week. The video consisted of quite a few varieties of pushups. I focused on form not quantity; meaning, the harder style push ups, like military and diamond, were too difficult for me to do today. I stayed on my knees, completed the workout with the group, and felt the burn... No wrist pain though! Tomorrow morning is the dreaded plyometric workout. At least that one is not on a Monday =)


Healthy thought for today: Basal cell carcinoma is the most common form of skin cancer today. Did you know that it does not develop from CONTINUED exposure to the sun like squamous cell? Basically, those family vacations I took as a child, and weeks of summer camp, in which I did not wear sunscreen, may actually be the cause of basal cell carcinoma later in life for me. Most doctors recommend SPF 15 daily and SPF 30 if you are going to be in sun for longer than 20 minutes. Did you know that a T-shirt only offers SPF 7??? Also, there is a thought that kids are OVERPROTECTED now and have vitamin D defficiencies because they rarely drink whole milk and they wear too much sunscreen. HELLO people, this is because they never run around and play outside and you let them play videos all day long while eating oatmeal cream pies.... no citation of that though; that was me. Have a good evening.


Healthfully yours,

*B*

*Picture from Savanna, GA.

Saturday, July 24, 2010

Indeed I Did

Ok, so I came home from painting my new house and ended up doing KENPO X. This was kickboxing, but not like the Billy Blanks Tae Bo videos I used to do. My heart rate was up and my legs were shaking at certain points. Very impressive. I finished the entire week this week. WEEK ONE COMPLETE. Since I blogged longer this morning, I am going to call it a week. See you Monday! Maybe pictures this week??

Legs and Back - Day 5

Last night I got home around 8:00pm and completed the Legs/Back workout. So far, this is one of my favorites. I am not a plyometric/jumping fan. I like sprinting short distances in intervals, but that cannot be done in a living room. There were some different variations of lunges last night that REALLY hit deep into the glutes. LOVED them. He (Tony Horton) also led us through back exercises. Again, I still have not purchased a pull up bar, so I have been using the bands on the top of a closet door in my house. I may or may not get the pull up bar. I am leaning more towards purchasing higher resistant bands (cheaper, and I like the feel of them more than pull ups!!!). Today is supposed to be Kenpo and tomorrow REST. I, however, am switching the two. I am painting my house today and that will be enough workout for me for the day. There is a fine line here. I am already having a hard time being motivated to actually complete these videos every day. I do not want to rearrange the actual program they have set up; however, real life = real life. There are 90 DAYS of planned exercise so I think I will be alright. I did not lose any weight at all, but that is not why I am doing this; also, I have only been following these video for five days. I was already active, but when I started working night shift, I became inconsistent. Thankfully, I am back on days; I work Monday through Friday 7:30 - 4:00. I would like to research a group of people who work night shift AND workout consistently; they should write a book. The change in circadian rhythm and rearranging of regular life was VERY difficult for me.

American Diabetes Association logo
Healthy thought: Did you know that millions of Americans have been diagnosed with type 2 diabetes and millions are walking around undiagnosed? Our diets have crippled our pancreas' ability to produce enough insulin to keep up with the sugar running through our circulation. Basically, insulin is a carrier to bring sugar from the blood stream into the cells. Eventually, the glucose/sugar in the blood causes kidney, eye, and other circulation problems. Did you know that EXERCISE increases the body's sensitivity to insulin? Did you know that muscles use the glucose in your body? Some people who are on the brink of diabetes (pre-diabetic) may be able to stop this progression NOW with healthy lifestyle changes. Let me know if you have any questions. Have a fabulous weekend.

Healthyfully yours,
*B*

Thursday, July 22, 2010

Yoga Day 4

Did you know that a 20oz. Pepsi has enough sugar to fill 17 sugar packets? Would you take that many sugar packets, pour them into a glass of water and drink it? I think not! Sugar actually increases the acidity of your body, increasing fatigue. Next time you grab a Coke or Pepsi because you want a little "pick me up," think again; that decision will come back to haunt you via an energy crash.

P90X was good tonight. I really wish work/schedule was allowing me to work out in the morning this week. I do not like working out in the evenings. The yoga video is great. I have never done yoga until this. I find it challenging enough that I can count it as a work out; however, I also feel stretched and relaxed afterwards. The worst part was the pressure on the wrist. My wrists were quite tired/sore. I wonder if that is something that get stronger; I have been doing push ups for along time and it is inevitable that my wrists will be sore the next day. Goal for tomorrow is to exercise BEFORE work. Let us see just how that works out.

Wednesday, July 21, 2010

Plyometrics - Day 3

Today was, indeed, the dreaded plyometric workout. I was not able to work out this morning before work because family dinner went too late into the evening last night. However, I made it a priority to complete the workout today when I got home. My overall impression of the plyometric workout is that it is very good for athletes who need to train those fast twitch muscle fibers. My heart rate was definitely increased and I felt that it was a great cardiovascular workout. However, my downstairs neighbor probably did not appreciate my jumping and leaping; that means that I was not graceful in my landing. I have so much to learn/train. My knee did start to hurt about 45 minutes into the workout. From that point on I lowered my impact and just did the squats or lunges without jumping. I also did the ab ripper X video after plyo; HARD!!!! My hip flexors were fatigued already; leg lifts and scissor crunches were very difficult. My cheap apartment carpet ripped in a small section from my, apparently too intense, leaps and jumps across the living room. My dog did not appreciate my spastic behavior either. He kept barking at me; again, another reason for my down stairs neighbor to despise me.

Healthy thought of the day: I was doing some more research on the food pyramid today. Honestly, I am not a fan. I think that there is too much emphasis on the whole "6-11 servings" of grains. They only recommend half of your grains to be whole grains and actually give you permission to have refined grains for the other half. I know that they are trying to be realistic; I did have a fabulous yeast role at my parents last night. HOWEVER, half of our grains? Really? I Like the Harvard Public Health Pyramid. They actually include refined carbohydrates in the same category as sweets. They are genius! Of course, they ARE Harvard.

Healthyfully and unrefined,
*B*

Tuesday, July 20, 2010

P90X - Day 2


Yesterday woke up earlier than necessary. I wanted to make sure that I had time to get ready for work. This morning, I decided that I was too tired for plyometrics (a lot of jumping and hard core cardio) so my plan was to do it when I got home from work. However, my boss and I ended up talking too long after work; I also have dinner plans with my parents tonight. I ended up doing the shoulders/arm video and I will do abs and plyometrics tomorrow MORNING. I loved tonights arm video. My shoulders, triceps, and biceps are all fatigued. Again, some of the leader's side comments are cheesy, but the workout was good. There are some new types of bicep curls that he teaches the viewer. I also did not know there are multiple ways to complete tricep kick-backs.

Healthy thought of the day... Sometimes, you should just get up with the alarm and do your workout BEFORE work. Stay tuned tomorrow. PLYOMETRICS!!!

Healthyfully yours,
*B*

Also, I did a ton of research on diabetes prevention today. I am excited to send you all the links; however, family dinner awaits and I must go get ready.

Monday, July 19, 2010

P90X - Day 1

Optimize your P90X performance
This morning was the first of my 90 day attempt to complete the infamous P90X series. I have done the workouts before, but never consecutively in the order/duration of the program's design. This morning was chest/back and abs. Besides his (the leader in the video) poor sense of humor at times, the over all rating of today's workout is a 8 on a scale of 1-10. I have to go get a pull up bar; I adjusted and did the variation with the band on the top of a door in my living room. I really like that this is adaptable to ALL LEVELS and can be done AT HOME.

Healthy thought of the day is to watch how much excess sugar you drink/eat. Most people are becoming more aware of this and switching to diet drinks. However, did you know that artificial sweeteners actually increase your cravings for real sugar? I already have a sweet tooth; I do not need extra help craving sugar. I still have a diet soda every once in a while, but, please, drink more water than diet soda!

Have a healthy day, *B*

Saturday, July 17, 2010

Wellness = Lifestyle

I have taken a new position at the hospital I work at; I am now the Wellness Educator. From trauma ICU to wellness there are quite a few differences; especially funding. Trauma ICU is in the spotlight. Wellness is not. However, if our hospital would invest in the wellness of our employees, the cost of health insurance each year would be decreased drastically. In my other post regarding overweight nurses (here), I discussed the irony of the unhealthy healthcare professional. I never thought this would be my future career this quickly. So my health thought for today is, "A healthy lifestyle is an investment." Sure, health food may be more expensive, but in forty years when you are dependent on beta-blockers, anti-diabetic medications, and Plavix, you may regret not spending a little more on salad.

Healthfully Yours,
*B*

Saturday, May 29, 2010

Fit at Home






My husband is not a gym rat. His idea of exercise involves golf, frisbee, or dodgeball. He used to cycle with me while we were dating but the novelty of it expired. Consequently, placing a gym membership in our budget was not an option. I began going to the gym (YMCA or LIFESTYLES) when I was in 9th grade. A teacher from my highschool picked me up every morning a 4:45 to take me. That is when I became addicted to the gym. My sister states that it looks like "a bunch of gerbils running around on their stationary toys," but I love the community and health accountability that develops. Consequently, I have had to start working out at home. IT IS POSSIBLE! I record a few shows on FitTV (Cardioblast is my favorite), I use a Jillian Michaels Cardio DVD or P90X episodes. Also, sometimes I just put on a movie and do an arm circuit. For example, an arm workout for me would be pushups, tricep dips on my coffee table, arm raises for shoulders, and dumbell curls for my biceps. I have 15lb, 10lb, and 5lb weights. For a leg work out, my dog loves following me across the living room as I attempt to do lunges back and forth. For cardio, I will run with the dog or by myself. I HATE TREADMILLS so I have to go outdoors. Discipline is the hardest part. I can think of 20 twenty other things I "should" be doing around the house when I am working out. However, prioritizing my health now will increase my quality of life later.

I place the weights in a faux suede stool with a lid and place it in the corner; easy to access and yet, not obnoxious or tacky.

Get going! Love B.